MADRID: The government upheaval in Spain is seeing the departure from office of one of the most relentless opponents of veteran Spanish football federation president Angel Maria Villar writes KEIR RADNEDGE.

Miguel Cardenal, as head of the Spanish sports council (the CSD) has pressed for transparent, properly scheduled elections and term limits within the RFEF rather than being organised to suit the needs of Villar to maintain his 26-year grip on power.

Prospective new head of the CSD is José Ramón Lete who, until this week, was sports department head in the north-west region of Galicia. An announcement is expected shortly from new Culture and Sports Minister Inigo Mendez de Vigo.

Lete, a 59-year-old former basketball player, has gained the nod over other candidates including Xavier García Albiol, a former mayor of Badalona, ​​former deputy mayor of Madrid Manuel Cobo, and Pablo Salazar, the city of Madrid sport direction.

Fomer sports stars who has also been considered included Olympic champions Miriam Blasco and Theresa Zabell and former international athlete Carlota Castrejana.

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